Substitute Samurai
by Camilla.Shinigami
Summary: AU, feudal era tale. Disguising herself as her brother, Rukia finds herself plunged into a whole new world: The world of the samurai. With the war looming ever closer, she didn't expect love and friendship to be part of the deal. IchixRuki ON HIATUS!
1. And so it begins

**Substitute Samurai**

_Enjoy!_

**Summary:**AU, feudal era tale. Disguising herself as her brother, Rukia finds herself plunged into a whole new world: The world of the samurai. With the war looming ever closer, she didn't expect love and friendship to be part of the deal. IchixRuki, RenxOC

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Bleach_

* * *

"_**War. A disease that affects both the highest members of aristocracy and the lowest forms of peasants. There is no cure. Either wait it out or fight back."**_

* * *

It's nearing the end of the 11th century in North Kyoto, Japan. The feudal era is now coming to a halt as power struggles are resolved and bonds are established between the major families so now a calming blanket of peace has begun to descend upon the country, the normalcy that its citizens crave with it. Trade has started to pick up once again and people are no longer afraid to walk the streets.

A new sense of hope has sprouted in the heart of the japanese people and - despite continuing threats from the west countries - both the noble and the poor were determined to nurse Japan from its knees.

-&-

Young children wove through the throng of people in the market, laughing with joy as they swept around the sea of feet. A group of five or six boys and girls ran through the dirt streets barefoot, a clear sign of poverty yet their beaming grins said otherwise as they played, care-free, down the road.

Distracted by euphoria and excitement, one of the younger girls stumbled over a rut in the path and toppled into a curtain of expensive-looking silk being worn by a bystander, before falling to the ground and raising a small cloud of dust in her wake. She rubbed her small fists over her eyes to rid them of the tears, but found herself pressed forcefully to the floor by her wrists, dirt grinding under her exposed skin as her blue eyes stared up at a young man in dark clothing with a fearsome look on his face. The cold kiss of steel upon the girl's throat restrained her from talking as he held a katana poised above the delicate skin of her neck.

Craning his own towards the lady who was standing next to him, wearing the same fabric that the girl had run into, he asked her with polite formality, "Miss, what should be done with this child?"

A soft voice sounded from out of the child's eyesight, beyond the glare the sun cast upon the katana.

"Leave her Kenshin, she didn't do anything wrong. Besides, she's only a child."

The pressure against her wrists and the sword on her throat dissipated as quickly as it had appeared and the terrified girl gazed up at the woman in front of her. She wore a purple, heavily embroidered silk kimono along with several items of jewellery that looked like it would cost an entire army per each piece. Her raven-coloured hair shimmered as she crouched down before the girl, ignoring the dirt settling on her, and her amethyst-coloured eyes surveyed the child.

Smiling kindly, she spoke to the sniffling blue-eyed girl.

"Hello, I'm sorry if my bodyguard scared you. He's just a bit overprotective, that's all."

Pausing, she gauged the child's reaction. The small, brown-haired girl seemed to be transfixed on her appearance more than anything else.

_I suppose she has never seen a noble before… Oh, I know what to do._

Slipping one of the thinner bracelets off of her wrist, she handed it to the child with another smile, and folded her hands over the delicate gold circlet.

"Here," she exclaimed gently, "Have this bracelet. It shows I'm sorry. Do you like it?"

Still dumbfounded, the girl managed to nod whilst staring adoringly at the bracelet she held in her chubby hands.

"Good." The woman straightened up and, ignoring the stares of the crowd that had started to accumulate, began to walk away with Kenshin shadowing her footsteps in his normal way. Just as she went to turn the corner of the street, a voice behind her cried "Wait!"

Looking over her shoulder, her eyes met the little girl's. She had the bracelet strapped loosely on her skinny wrists and her face, previously scared, now held a happy smile. Dipping low to the floor, she bowed, albeit a little clumsily.

"Thank you very much, missus!"

"You're welcome. And it's not missus, my name is Kuchiki Rukia." She replied, before turning away and blending into the crowd with a quick gesture for Kenshin to follow.

-&-

Sluggishly, Rukia trudged through the corridors in her tabi socks, headed towards her sister's study. Her trip to the private hot springs in town had been more draining than she thought it would be. First, the incident on the street, followed by the sheer amount of inane chatter she had endured from the woman elders of the clan whilst at the springs themselves, the place of supposed _relaxation_. It was enough to tire anyone out, not to mention a sixteen year old girl.

Even if that girl happens to be a noble.

Rukia sighed and knocked on the frame of the sliding door before she heard Hisana's voice beckon her in.

She was sitting cross-legged at her desk, surrounded by books and pieces of paper and reading a rather long piece of script diligently. Her ever-familiar dark silver eyes glanced at Rukia as she came in before returning to the writing before her.

"Hello Rukia. How were the springs today?" she asked with a light-hearted undertone.

"Ugh…" was her only reply as she wandered into the room and collapsed onto the floor beside her older sister, silently cursing the uncomfortable kimono that she was forced to wear that day. "I can't stand those women. They're so condescending!" She buried her head in her arms in frustration, hair pins falling out onto the polished wooden floorboards.

She felt a hand rest on the top of head. Lifting her gaze to Hisana, she found her hand patting the top of her head lovingly.

"It'll get better soon. I promise. As soon as you find a suitable husband, then they'll quiet down."

"Pfft," Rukia scoffed, "Like THAT'S going to happen anytime soon. I have no interest in men…"

Retreating towards the door, she got up to leave. Her hand hesitated on the smooth paper of the sliding partition, before she withdrew it again.

"How is Sota today?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

And her concern was well-instated.

Sighing, Hisana ran a hand through her long, dark hair. The bags under her eyes seemed to worsen in the light from the doorway and she looked even more tired than she usually did these days.

Rukia's heart sunk.

_Of course he's not any better. I shouldn't expect any less._

-&-

Leaving her sister in the study, Rukia walked towards his room through the expansive corridors. "I'm going to go see Sota…" she muttered more to herself than for anyone else's benefit.

Sota is the second youngest of the four Kuchiki siblings, now aged 17. Since he was young, his very existence has been kept secret from most of the noble population. Only closely related clans and family friends know about the 'Sickly Child' as he was labelled, as the family did not want to show weakness; In these times of feuding and social unstability, weakness is something that has no place in the life of a noble.

At the age of 8, Sota was diagnosed with a specific disease that weakens the muscle cores, loosening the fibres and proteins that construct them. This meant that he was mostly bedridden, only occasionally finding enough strength to walk to the veranda and sit by the oriental garden that the family had built.

But, up until very recently, Sota's health had been getting increasingly better by the day. This went to the extent that he began his sword training once again, the thing that he loved to do the most in the entire world. The prestigious Kuchiki samurai blood that thumped his veins beckoned him to the sword and he was more than willing to answer its call after many years of sickness and waiting. However, this small triumph was short lived as he succumbed to the disease soon after and lapsed into ill-health once again.

Almost everyone in the family had given up on Sota. As his muscles began to deteriorate and his life shortened, only three stood by his bedside.

His brother and his sisters.

-&-

Like Rukia did now.

She knelt beside his luxurious four-post bed on a small cushion and swept his long hair out of his closed eyes with gentle fingers.

"Sota, you can stop pretending… I know you're awake, fool." Rukia stated, poking him on the cheek…

Hard.

Sota's face creased on contact with her extremely pointy finger and his eyes snapped open. His glare turned to her and deep onyx met smug amethyst.

Sitting up from underneath thick silk covers, he propped himself up on shaky elbows and flicked hair from his face. For someone who didn't know any better, both he and Rukia could be twins; the similarity of their faces was uncanny and their hair was the same hue, as with almost all of the Kuchiki family. One of the very few differences between them was the eye colour, the year difference in age and Rukia's lack of height. The latter of which making a rather fine topic for Sota to tease her on, which he tended to do often.

He grumbled "You didn't have to do that so hard, y'know…."

Narrowing his eyes at the way she stuck her tongue out in response, he twisted himself into a more comfortable position.

"So," Sota said offhandedly, "What brings you to these parts…of the house?" he added with a chuckle.

Sighing in mock exasperation, Rukia flicked him lightly in the forehead. "Because I felt like it, that's why."

"Rukia. You should know by now that you can't lie to me. What's up?"

Looking up into her brother's eyes, she was surprised to find them deadly serious. Blowing a stray bang out of her face (and failing miserably), she began. The two stayed there until the last rays of the sun had long disappeared late in the evening before Sota announced he was too tired to talk for much longer.

Retiring to her own room, Rukia quickly changed and flopped onto her bed, being totally exhausted too. Being a young woman in those times was tiring, but at least she could talk and joke about it with Sota; sometimes, he was more like a friend than a brother to her, and she loved him dearly.

People seemed to think that, just because his muscles have deteriorated, he's utterly useless and merely a burden to their family. Well, he's more than useless.

Way more.

_He is still a human being. I know he hates being cooped up in that room all day, every day, but the most I can do for him is to keep him company… I just wish I could do something more for him. Something more worthwhile…_

She sighed deeply and pulled the covers under her chin.

…_But the worst things always happen to good people. It always works out like that, and there's nothing I can do about it. _

A solitary tear slid down her cheek and fell onto her pillow as the feelings of helplessness washed over her, pulling at her resolve, and teasing it at the seams. As it slowly began to subside and retreat, the haze of sleep descended on her weary mind and she welcomed it with arms wide open.

Just as she was about to drift into unconsciousness, a very flustered Hisana burst through the doorway, breathing fast and brandishing a piece of paper in her hand. Her eyes flashed with urgency, her cheeks flushed as she swept over to Rukia.

"It's from Byakuya!"

_Byakuya?_

Eyes wide, Rukia took the crumpled paper from her sister's outstretched hand and unfolded it, eyes flitting over the elegant script fluidly scrawled across the page.

* * *

_To Hisana, Sota and Rukia,_

_I received your many letters, and thank you for thinking of me. However, I was unable to send many back, due to tight security, hence why you may not have heard from me in a while. For that I am sorry. I am doing well and I have, without much difficulty, ascended to the rank of captain within the 13 squads of the army._

_However, from this point onwards of this letter, these things do not matter as the information being given to you now is of the utmost importance. _

_An army of Caucasians from the west - calling themselves 'Brittanians' - have waged war on Japan. Their attack is estimated to be around two or three months from now. In that time, we must gather as many warriors as possible in Tokyo before they arrive. Along with this message, I sent several soldiers who have probably already began to round up all of the able-bodied men in the city._

_Before I left for the frontline a year ago, Sota, you were well enough to handle a sword. I hope that, since then, your health has only gotten better. This means that you must also come and fight. The family name is riding on you, and the entire clan will be disgraced if you refuse to come so I'm afraid that it is mandatory that you fight, regardless of whether you want to. I've instructed the soldiers who accompanied this letter to fetch you the evening after you receive this, so prepare yourself._

_Japan is now officially at war. Hisana and Rukia, I want you to stay in Kyoto. Away from the fighting, where you're safe._

_Sota, I expect to see you when the time comes. We MUST protect this country._

_I love you all._

_Byakuya_

* * *

As a multitude of emotions raged around inside of her, Rukia's grip over the letter tightened.

_Shock… Dread… Anger… Fear…_

She turned towards her older sister and placed the letter on the floor between them.

Her hands were shaking.

Slowly, she swallowed the lump in her throat as best as possible before stammering "W-what are we going to do? Sota can't go! N-no way!"

"I know, Rukia! But…" Hisana's voice cracked and she cradled her head in her hands, "…it looks like we have no choice but to shame the clan. Sota is more important than that."

Rukia's breathing became erratic. The clan name is all they have. Both their parents died when they were merely children so the small fortune left to them must be used sparingly over the years, and they own nothing much else apart from the house they lived in.

But the prestigious Kuchiki name is worth more than all of their possessions put together. Their name classes them as nobles, puts them aside from the families of peasants, and (much to Rukia's chagrin) made them further eligible for marriage into a rich family.

What would happen if that name was gone?

Dirtied and disgraced.

They would have nothing. _Nothing!_

Except the whispers of memories from before their mother and father went to war. They had both been samurai, the best of their time. Including their mother. One of the first female samurai ever to be allowed into the army, purely based on her skill with a katana…

Something inside Rukia's brain clicked.

_Yes…Yes, that's the answer… I go and join the war, INSTEAD of Sota! That's it!_

Somewhere within her soul, a flame began to flicker.

The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She began to think through what would happen if she went through with it, and soon she had convinced herself that this _was _the right way to do it.

That fire began to grow and soon she was ablaze with determination. She could feel it pounding through her veins, invigorating every cell in her body, heightening her senses and she could almost feel her mind focusing. She noticed that Hisana had already left and had taken the light with her so now Rukia sat alone in the darkness, but that didn't matter.

So there she sat, planning what will pan out over the next twenty four hours, her mind whirring in frenzied anticipation. The only question was…

Could she pull it off?

-&-

Today was the day. _THE _day. And Rukia could not be more excited.

The concept of war is a frightening and gruesome prospect to most, but it just sparked Rukia's anticipation like adding a match to kindling. The speed, the heat and the ferocity of battle she yearned for; she could practically _feel_ her samurai blood pulsing through her body.

And so she put her plan into action.

In the early hours of the morning, as the sun began to peek over the stone wall of the garden, she stole like a shadow across the courtyard, eyes darting from side to side. Her bare feet made no sound as she stepped lithely onto the wooden veranda, the hard wood cold beneath her toes.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, she tentatively peeled back the sliding partition and tip-toed into Sota's room. She crept over towards the grand bed and the mound of silk laying on it, and peered at his face.

Fast asleep. Good.

Everything was going smoothly.

Walking over to the ornamental wardrobe in the corner of the room, she grasped the ornate gold handles and pulled. They opened to reveal a menagerie of glorious clothes, from vibrant reds to cool violets, yukata to haori. She marvelled over the fabrics and the hues; she had never even seen Sota wear _any_ of these beautiful clothes.

She shook her head to clear her mind. _Focus, _She told herself.

Reaching through the sea of material, she pulled out the first thing she could grab hold of and surveyed them quickly. First she pulled out a black mens kimono with matching hakama with a pale green obi belt in the family's colours, followed by a white hakama and a white obi belt. Just as she was peering into the back of the wardrobe for a top half, a grumble emerged from behind her.

Rukia's breath hitched and she froze. The sounds of someone moving behind her filled her eardrums and she slowly turned her head and looked over her shoulder.

The lump on the bed began to stir.

_He's going to see me!_

Panic rose in Rukia's throat, threatening to swallow her. _If anyone finds me now, then the plan is ruined._

Hastily, Rukia reached into the closet once more, pulled out whatever her hand touched first before shutting the door as quietly as she could, gathering the clothing into her arms and bolting out of the door; back towards the safety of her room.

Flying through the house, she made it there in little time and slid the door shut behind her.

She went over to her bed and dropped the stolen clothing onto it, before falling to her knees in relief.

She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

-&-

It really was beautiful. Turns out that, whilst in an utter panic, she had grabbed the perfect item of clothing. It was a top to match the white hakama she found earlier. Again, it was pale green, plain, and made of a light material, yet it felt warm beneath her fingertips as she caressed the fabric.

It was the perfect choice for a soldier that was on the move.

_Almost like… like it was meant for me…_

She held it up by the shoulders, admiring the handiwork of the craftsmen who made it.

She was surprised when she heard a small clatter sound from the floor: something had fallen out of the pocket.

Rukia turned her gaze downwards, and gasped when she saw what lay there, white and crystalline on the wooden boards.

A kenseikan.

Identical to the ones Byakuya is constantly wearing.

_Oh, I can't BELIEVE my luck today!_

-&-

Breakfast was a silent affair, as was lunch. Neither Rukia nor Hisana had much to say, and silence reigned over the table as both at their meal. Rukia noted that Hisana was seemingly despondent as she poked grains of rice round her bowl with her chopsticks; however, she was sure that if she were to comfort her, then she would give it all away. It was taking all of the will power she possessed to not tell Hisana of her plan, for she would try to stop her.

But it was still difficult. She always told Hisana everything. So it was all she could do to just bite her tongue to stop herself from saying anything stupid.

Sighing, Rukia excused herself. Almost everything was falling into place. And she just couldn't afford to mess things up now.

But she couldn't help but almost skip to her room as she walked through the familiar corridors.

And as evening began to fall, her excitement only intensified. She could almost taste it.

-&-

The preparations had all been made. Lying under her bed-sheets was a medium sized bag that could be slung over one shoulder. Inside it was the pale green top with the white hakama trousers and obi belt along with an extra pair of tabi socks and some sturdy sandals. Also, there were several lengths of thick bandages along with a small ornamental (but nonetheless dangerous) dagger that she had stolen from the dining room and a small bag of money.

You have to be prepared if you're going to war, right?

Rukia stood in front of her mirror. She had just finished wrapping her chest tightly with bandages and - despite struggling to draw air – it worked rather well. Her chest was now practically flat. She was never very… _big _to begin with so it was not as much of a problem as it would be to most women her age. Shrugging her arms through the sleeves of the men's kimono and tying on the pants and obi belt, she admired her appearance.

From the neck down, she looked totally like a man. The black kimono was loose fitting yet the length and size were perfect for her small stature meaning that it would easily disguise the fact that she was, in fact, a girl.

But as for neck _upwards_, that was a different story. Her hair was still too long.

She had already considered cutting it off with the dagger, yet hadn't the heart when it came down to it.

Regardless, she attached the kenseikan in the way she had watched Byakuya do many times, twisting her hair delicately into the porcelain semi-tubes and then letting the resulting bangs hang over her right eye.

Absentmindedly, she scanned the room.

_This may be the last time I see this place…_

Her gaze caught on something. A white ribbon dangling out of her dressing table.

Quickly, she rushed over and grabbed the thin strand of silk before pulling back the longer parts of her hair into a low ponytail and tying with the ribbon securely. Without tying a bow; that would be too woman-like.

The more simple the better.

Glancing once more in the mirror, she was again impressed. She looked rather like a younger version of Byakuya, albeit more pretty rather than handsome, but definitely more boyish than before. Satisfied, she turned away for the last time and lifted the cloth bag from its hiding place, heaving it onto her shoulder. One last stop, then she would be gone.

She cast one more longing look at the room before flitting out through the door and closing it quietly behind her.

There was a small rustling as the small wind she caused disturbed a piece of paper in the room: a letter that had been placed on her pillow.

It was labelled…

_Dear Hisana… x_

-&-

Stepping through the musty family dojo, Rukia felt a distinct chill run down her spine as she got closer and closer to her objective.

On the wall before her bear the names of her ancestors that had practiced in this ancient and prestigious dojo, pinned to the wall on wooden planks that lined the white plaster. Wooden kendo swords were stacked against one of the walls and there was half of a demolished straw dummy in another corner.

She sighed. _So many memories…_

The waves of nostalgia seemed to roll over her with every step she took.

_That creaky floorboard, the loose door, and the _good _wooden sword…_

_That time I and Sota were training… _

---

"_Come on Rukia! Keep going!" shouted a sixteen year old Sota from the sidelines as Rukia brought down her wooden sword relentlessly on Byakuya's. He swept it expertly away like it was nothing and countered, which Rukia just managed to dodge and leap backwards out of its path._

_She was breathing hard, sweating and her face was flushed._

_But she was happy. Byakuya had come back from the army camp for a week, and had agreed to train both her and Sota during his stay. Now, the entire remains of the family were together again. Like it should be. _

_But she wasn't sure she could keep this up. They'd been going at it for almost half an hour now and her muscles screamed with exhaustion. The hands holding her wooden sword were shaking and she could almost feel the blood pulsing through her head to the rhythm of her frantic heartbeat. _

"_Just one last shot! C'mon, give him all you've got Rukia!" Sota punched the air, cheering her on, and her body felt just that little bit lighter. Turning to face Byakuya, who was standing in a relaxed battle stance, she readjusted the grip on her sword. _

_Taking deep breaths, she blinked her eyes shut._

Right, _she thought, _this is it. One last hit. And I _WILL _hit!

_Opening her eyes, everything seemed to disappear. The only things that remained were Byakuya and his practice sword. Her eyes roamed over him, taking in any dips in defence, feet position, everything. She was ready._

_Sword raised high, she summoned what was left of her stamina and leapt for him._

_---_

Rukia stopped.

She had reached the far side of the dojo. In front of her, on the crumbling wall, stood two katana.

Reaching out her hand, she took a sheathed sword from its stand on the wall. She marvelled at the battered wooden cover, the blue enamel chipped and scarred in some places from the strain of battle. She ran her hands over the weathered hilt, fingers skimming over snowflake-like indents in the steel before reaching the silk criss-crossed handle and the small, white ribbon that dangled from it. She could almost feel its history underneath her fingertips.

Being careful to ensure it was done up tightly, she added the katana inside her obi belt.

She gazed at the name scratched and painted onto the wall.

_Sode no Shirayuki_

She almost smiled at the familiar name.

She bowed down before standing upright and placing her hands over her racing heart.

"I'll make you proud mother, father. Just you watch."

And she ran out into the night.

-&-

**Author's Note:  
**Before I say anything else, thank you VERY much for reading, especially if you read all the way to the end. It's my first ever fanfiction so I'm rather anxious to say the least!

I would like to say sorry for any mistakes I may have made. I would also like to say, at this point, that most of the historical content I put in this fanfiction is NOT ACCURATE. Therefore, I also apologize if I have misused any Japanese terms incorrectly as, being English, I don't know much about Japanese culture. Oh and as for the RenjixOC pairing, I usually don't like using OC's in pairings but the OC I plan to use has been created by carrietheninja in one of her Bleach stories, The College Experience. I recommend you go check it out. It's absolutely awesome and so is she!

I sincerely hope you liked the chapter, and if you didn't then... (shrugs) that's okay too. In fact, it would be nice if you told me what you thought of it. Anything is welcome. Criticism, things you like, things you didn't like, suggestions, absolutely everything. So click that shiny little review button and let me know. I will reply to all reviews personally, so be reassured, your opinion is not going to waste. :)

Thanks!


	2. March of one

**Substitute Samurai**

_Enjoy!_

**Summary:**A feudal era tale. Disguising herself as her brother, Rukia finds herself plunged into a whole new world: The world of the samurai. With the war looming ever closer, she didn't expect love and friendship to be part of the deal. IchixRuki, RenxOC

A quick thanks to anyone who added this to their favourites or alerts list, along with my trusty reviewers: **None93 ; pAnda143 ; carrietheninja **along with **Chappy9** (_I'm really glad you liked the first chapter, I hope you're not disappointed by this one!_) and**Mikazuki Mitsukai **(_Thanks for reading, and I'm happy you liked what you read!)_

**_Disclaimer: _**_I don't own Bleach_

**UPDATE:** Bit of proof-reading in order to eliminate any errors I made, and to gain a little inspiration for the next chapter which is half written at this point in time. Please be patient!

-&-

The soldiers arrived exactly as the last rays of the sun disappeared over the horizon.

And Rukia was there to greet them.

Ready dressed in her men's clothing, with her bag secured tightly on her shoulder, she was leaning casually against the ornate wooden doors that allowed entrance to the Kuchiki compound with one watchful eye on the men approaching her.

One was younger, maybe mid-twenties, with long dark hair. The other was a gargoyle of a man, scars littering his sun-darkened skin until it was almost just a mesh of raised pink skin. He had an eye patch over one eye, obviously lost in a viscous battle. A seasoned warrior, through and through.

As they reached her, the first to speak was the younger of the two. He cleared his throat.

"Good evening sir. We were sent to accompany Ku-" he began, but was quickly interrupted.

_Dear Lord, PLEASE let this work. Here goes…_

"Yes, yes I know. Kuchiki Sota right? Well…" she swept her arms, gesturing to herself, "Here I am." Rukia stated impatiently in deep voice, that she had practiced whilst waiting for the soldiers' arrival.

She needed to get as far away from the house as possible. The prospect of her being found out this early in the game was not something that was particularly… _appealing _to her and the closer to the house they were, the more chance of Hisana coming to drag her back.

_And when I say drag, I mean that literally. By the ear if she had to._

Surprised, they faltered momentarily before bowing and the young man stammered an apology.

"Please, whilst you are in my company, you do not have to bow or address me any more formally than you would to your fellows. Now, shall we go?" Rukia began to peel herself off of the door and took a step towards the men but stopped in her tracks when the old man spoke.

"I don't mean to sound impudent, but surely you wish to say goodbye to your family… Aren't you in a bit of a hurry?" the man said, in a sort of knarled voice that practically emanated age and overuse. The questioning undertone of his voice was evident: he suspected her already.

Her anger flared.

_Suspicious old coot…_

_Then again, he does have a point… _But fortunately, Rukia had already thought of this and replied in a very calm and ,again, previously-rehearsed manner.

"I have already said my goodbyes to my family members, and I do not want to prolong them, as it will only cause my sisters pain."

It felt very peculiar to say _sisters _rather than _sister_, Rukia noted semi-consciously.

Nonetheless, the old man just raised a scarred eyebrow and didn't say another word after that, merely turning around and gesturing for both of them to follow him. Suppressing the urge to kick him in his bony old behind, she followed along with the other man who merely seemed content to walk alongside her.

She was very careful to not walk in the elegant shuffle she had been taught. At first she attempted to slouch, but almost winced as the already tight bindings over her chest became so constricting that she struggled to draw oxygen. So instead she settled for taking long, loping strides.

Or as long and loping as her short legs could do.

As she continued to walk through the almost empty streets alongside the two soldiers, she found herself thinking how difficult things were, pretending to be a guy. She had barely even left the confines of her house and she had already had to constantly think about what she was doing: Any lapse in concentration could lead to her discovery. A mere flicker of doubt crossed her mind.

_I really didn't think about this…It's going to be a lot tougher than I thought it would be. _

The orange light of the sunset had long disappeared over the horizon, leaving only a purple haze in its wake and the stars had just begun to shine in the clear evening sky. The temperature soon began to drop and Rukia found it strange that she almost_ missed _the stifling layers of heavy material that her own kimono and yukata were made of…almost. But, even in the cold, she felt more comfortable in men's clothing, as much as that thought disturbed her.

The evening's brisk air didn't seem to affect the two men walking alongside her. They didn't shiver as she did; being the coveted little sister of the Kuchiki clan had its downside. No resistance against the elements at all.

She glared at the back of the old warrior in its thick, black cotton haori. She _really _should have thought this out better.

-&-

Soon, they entered an unpleasant part of the city that Rukia hadn't encountered before. The smell of unclean people lingered in the air, and the ramshackle houses on either side of the street leaned on one another, unable to support their own weight. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she felt the burning of eyes focused upon her, spying from the gaping doorways, around corners, from everywhere.

Some part of her wanted to run. To scream and run. She felt too vulnerable, too open with those prying eyes taking her apart, analytically studying her, piece by piece. Heart thumping hard in her chest, she tried to stop her feet from making that inevitable first running stride, the one that would show her for what she really is.

A scared little girl.

_Is that what I really am? I thought I was better than that._

Her confidence waned. Her sure-fire attitude had long dissipated into the gloomy recesses of the humdrum little town. She was afraid.

But…

Slowly, she bought her hand over to her katana and rested her hand on the hilt. The weathered silk underneath her palm was almost soothing, yet she felt a strange surge in power, a sort of self assurance that resonated through her entire body, buzzing through her veins. The fear was gone and the sensation of being watched disappeared along with it.

She let out a small sigh of relief, not enough to be heard by the two men.

Hand still poised on the reassuring solidness of her sword, she continued down the street, insecurity forgotten.

-&-

Before long, the horrible stench began to recede from her nostrils as they entered the very northern edge of Kyoto, leaving the decrepit village behind them and entering the outskirts of a forest.

The peaceful chirping of cicadas amongst the trees was the only sound that could be heard besides her own soft breathing and the stones that clicked under her sandals. It was such a beautiful night, as well as her first proper excursion outside the city.

The young man broke the silence.

"We're nearly to the camp."

_Camp?_

Looking up ahead, upon the ridge of the hill they were ascending was a strange orange glow, and now that he mentioned it, she could smell the faint smell of campfire smoke in the breeze.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She was _this _close to truly having begun her journey.

And the sense of thrill that ran through her body was staggering.

They reached the top of the hill and Rukia gazed down in awe at the sight before her. A huge congregation of people were smattered around in clumps, surrounding small fires set up at random intervals. The hum of voices travelled from the mile-wide camp below her and she shivered in anticipation.

Inhaling, she took a step forward.

-&-

Men.

That was all Rukia could see as she attempted to wade through the enormous sea of people.

The smell of musk surrounded her, and the heat from both the multitude of bodies and the fires was stifling. Squeezing through gaps in the crowd she managed to make it to a relatively empty part of the camp where she leaned up against a weathered tree to rest.

The two soldiers who had accompanied her earlier had long disappeared into the dense crowd, and in an offhand thought, Rukia realised she never found out their names. It would have been nice to at least know _one _person amongst this rabble of egotistical, testosterone-filled idiots. Even if it was just the old guy, although the younger one would have been preferable.

The less intelligent, the better.

She traced patterns in the knarred tree's trunk, absently blowing the three strands of hair that the kenseikan housed out of her vision, just to let them fall back again. The hazy warmth of the nearest campfire heated her face pleasantly, and she found herself starting to nod off.

Sliding down the length of the tree and nestling comfortably in between the raised network of roots, she began to succumb to the fog of sleep, when she was quickly awoken by a harsh voice booming over the entire campsite.

"Alright men! Listen up!"

Rukia peered over the heads of many before her gaze settled on a beast of a man standing on a crudely made platform in the centre of the field. The light emanating from the surrounding fires that was previously comforting and restful became almost menacing as it flickered over the man's face, casting ghastly looking shadows. Wearing a pure white haori over nothing but bandages and a black hakama, she got a view of a large portion of his body; he had obviously trained obsessively and was packed with tightly wound muscles.

He stood at least six and a half foot tall, and held a large, unsheathed sword in his right hand, which he rested casually on his massive shoulder.

"Now that I've got your attention," he started, "You just need to shut up and listen. Now, I don't really care about who you are, but I'm Kenpachi. Zaraki Kenpachi. And I'm going to lead you to Tokyo, where the war is going to start. All _you _have to do is do exactly as either me or my subordinates tell you."

For the first time, Rukia noticed that there were actually people standing behind the behemoth Kenpachi. Her brain clinched with recognition as she saw the old man from earlier. There was also a bald guy and next to him was a man with seemingly orange hair. For a second, her brain registered it as a sort of trick of the light or maybe just the glow from the fires.

Nevertheless, Kenpachi began to talk again, and she found herself fearful to look away as she drew her eyes to the intimidating figure.

"I hope you're as pumped as I am about this fight!"

A huge chorus of cheers and woops emerged from the crowd as many got to their feet and hollered in agreement, fists pumping the air.

Rukia almost felt inclined to join them.

"So rest up, and tomorrow we move out. And I'm warning you," the man bellowed, a strange toothy grin splashed over his face, "…do what we say or I'll kill you."

For some strange reason that Rukia couldn't comprehend, some of the men began to laugh, as if he were merely bluffing. Kenpachi apparently joined in with the guffawing fools down below him before stopping abruptly and adding,

"I wasn't joking."

Immediately, the laughter wheedled out.

_Ha, _thought Rukia, _serves them right. _

-&-

Frustrated, Rukia turned over once again.

This had to be one of _the _worst places to sleep. Although, between sleeping on the dirty floor or sleeping on the branch of a tree, there wasn't a lot of choice. The stiff wood didn't offer much in the comfort department, and the constant brushing of the leaves against her felt like icy fingers gliding over the surface of her skin: It sent a shiver down her spine every time.

But at least it was better than sleeping amongst the sweaty, heaving mass of male life forms on the ground, by a long shot.

And to top it all off, she was extremely hungry. The meagre meal of salmon and rice issued by the camp cooks hadn't satiated her desire for food and now, just over two hours later, her stomach was growling for more. She almost felt like she could eat an entire pig.

Fork optional.

This was _not _what she had in mind at all.

But…

As much as she felt like cursing this stupid war with its stupid food portions and stupid uncomfortable trees, she couldn't deny the fact that somewhere deep inside of her was enjoying all of this.

Never knowing what will happen next, no boundaries, and no limitations.

Yes, she was uncomfortable, hungry and extremely irritable. But Rukia's long time craving for adventure had finally begun to be satisfied.

She breathed in a lungful of the fresh almost-morning air.

The sky had already begun its transition from midnight blue to a lighter shade, a clear sign that the sun was about to rise. Climbing down from her perch amongst the trees, Rukia jumped the last bit of distance to the ground. Her knees shuddered when she impacted with the hard ground, and she almost stumbled flat on her face.

Luckily, nobody was awake to see her.

_Note to self: Wake up your body BEFORE jumping out of trees._

The cheerful chirping of birds reached her ears as she walked through wave after wave of sleeping bodies, stepping over and around arms and legs, slowly weaving her way towards one of the several burnt out fires. Dew had already begun to accumulate on the grass and soak through her tabi socks and the very end of her hakama, leaving her with cold and wet feet by the time she actually reached the small pile of embers, which were glowing faintly orange underneath the pile of soot and ash.

Sitting on a conveniently placed log, she picked up a stick and prodded the fire, stirring the embers to bring it back to life. She placed a few sticks of kindling on top of the renewed flame, nursing the tiny flicker. Eventually, the wood reluctantly caught fire, the orange flames licking away, and Rukia just threw on a couple of logs and left it at that.

Reviving the fire had passed the time at least.

She heaved herself from the log, and caught a whiff of roasted meat on the wind; the camp cooks had started making breakfast. Her eyes practically lit up at the prospect.

_But, first things first._

Heading towards the dense forest, she went to find a river to wash in. As much as the very thought repulsed her, it may be the last time in a while that she would be able to freshen up. She took her bag of things with her, still strapped over her shoulder, along with a small water gourd to fill up for the journey.

It doesn't hurt to be prepared.

-&-

This was really it. She was finally doing it.

They had set off from the camp roughly an hour ago and the army was on its way to Tokyo, where the war would commence.

_Where the war begins…_

She had given no thought about the war itself and now, as she walked along a long and gravelly road in a long train of men, her mind wandered hopelessly to what would become of her. She had next-to-none sword fighting experience and absolutely no experience actually using a _real _sword, one that can be used to kill rather than just bruise or maim, like the useless kendo swords she had used in the past. She swallowed.

This was going to be unbelievably hard. And she had to do it on her own.

Well… not quite.

Placing her hand on Sode no Shirayuki, she felt the reassuring buzz rush through her hand and up her arm.

She had her mother and father cheering her on from above.

-&-

It was late afternoon and the weather had taken a turn for the worst. Rukia's heart dropped as she saw a large black cloud looming on the horizon, dampening her already foul temperament.

They had been travelling along the same road all day and her entire body was screaming for rest. Hour after hour of rocky, uneven roads had taken its toll on her feet, giving her aching blisters where her sandals were. Her legs were filled with exhaustion and a stitch was searing through her midsection and had been for the past hour or so.

_I swear my bag never used to be this heavy…_

She sighed between her quick breathing and rolled her stiff shoulders.

_Just think, it's all for Sota. And Hisana. For the entire Kuchiki clan. You're finally being useful for once in your life Rukia. Don't mess this up._

She was beginning to lag behind the rest of the men now, and even the most elderly of them had long passed her slow-moving form. It wasn't long before she found herself watching everybody from the very back. She felt even more alone than she did earlier now that she was separated from the rest of the group; she was her own one-man, solitary march.

She was so mixed up in her own thoughts that she failed to notice a dip in the road. Her foot slipped awkwardly down into it and set her off balance, wobbling precariously with arms waving, before she fell towards the floor face first.

She shut her eyes, awaiting the inevitable pain of impact and was surprised when it never came.

There was a sharp tug on the neck of her kimono as someone grabbed the thick material and pulled. Rukia's face stopped inches from the floor, her body almost cradled in the fabric as she hung inside it, all her weight falling forwards against the black material. It barely gave her enough time for her to register what was going on before she was yanked harshly away from the ground again by her kimono, the fabric cutting painfully into her underarms as it took her weight.

Disorientated, she was placed on her own wobbly feet and her head span in circles. Making sure that she had found her balance, she turned.

Before her stood a man. He was almost a head taller than her, if more. His face looked a year or two older than her own, with a defined jaw line and straight nose. _Brown eyes, _she noted. His hair sat in disorderly, orange spikes on the top of his head, but his features were twisted into a sort of smug grin.

"When they said they were sending me to 'pick up the stragglers', I didn't think they actually meant that _literally_!" he chuckled.

A spark of recognition sounded in her brain. It was the same orange haired man from yesterday, the one who was standing behind Kenpachi as one of his subordinates; there weren't exactly an abundance of people with that definitive hair colour. It _had _to be him.

"So, kid, you got anything to say?"

He looked at her expectantly, and cocked his head to one side.

Rukia opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it again. One wrong word and it was game over. If anyone in high up in authority sussed her real gender, the results would be disastrous. She would have to think this out carefully.

Clearing her throat and lowering her voice by a margin, she muttered "Thanks."

She turned rapidly on one heel and started to march towards the group again, which by now was a good quarter of a mile away. Cursing her clumsy feet, she stepped up the pace.

"Hey," yelled a voice from behind, "Where do you think you're going, you little…"

A hand on the back of her obi belt pulled her backwards, the soft green fabric acting as a restraint in the grasp of the angry orange-haired man.

"You can't just walk away. Is this the way you talk to your superiors, huh?! Little punk!"

That was it. She snapped.

Wheeling round, Rukia swung her elbow round her side to make contact with his wrist, effectively making him drop the fistful of fabric in his hand and, slowly, his arm fell back to his side. She turned her furious gaze to his, unleashing the full power of her glare upon his own scowling face.

_Why could he not just leave me ALONE?!_

Anger bubbled ominously behind her eyes and she yelled.

"I said thanks! What _more _do you want?! For me to bow and grovel at your feet?!"

She pressed her lips into a thin line and her nostrils flared as both her and the obnoxious man glowered at each other, neither saying a word.

But he was the first to break their fierce staring competition and the tense silence that had fallen between them.

Leaning into his heels, he scratched the back of his head. He tilted his chin upwards, surveying her from underneath his lowered eyelids.

"You move pretty quickly kid. I didn't even see your arm coming. You'll make a good fighter. But, in the future, make sure you respect your higher-ups. Or, you're gunna get yourself killed someday."

His words caught her off guard; the strangely wise, kind words made her double-take. Her eyes widened a fraction. Yet, the anger did not subside.

Still teeming with annoyance, she managed to hiss, "I'll keep that in mind" before she ran off down the road, dust flying. She ignored her protesting muscles and just let the fury that stirred in her take control, allowing the red haze to cover her eyes.

She was at the makeshift camp in no time.

-&-

Another uncomfortable night, and yet another tiring trek.

Except for this time, it was raining.

Rukia's hair lay plastered wetly to her forehead, and a tiny rain drop fell off of her nose. She was shivering in her soaking wet kimono, and the sopping material was exceedingly heavy now that it was laden with the water that poured down from the heavens. Tiny rivulets ran down her quivering hands as she tried to shield her eyes from the fierce wind that whipped the rain into her face, and the slap of the raindrops against her skin was like the sting of a thousand tiny lightning bolts.

Once again, she found herself at the back of the group, or platoon as some of the other men liked to call it. Her short legs coupled with her lack of long-distance stamina were her downfall; raw determination and pluckiness will only get you so far. And with the rain constantly pelting her from all angles, her resolve was starting to dwindle.

She sighed again for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, but the sound was lost to the wind.

At the next town, she was _definitely_ buying a travelling cloak. Hopefully, that would keep the worst of the rain at bay for a while.

But as she continued to tread down the water-logged track, her mind wandered. Pleasant images of her home flitted in and out of focus: Hisana sitting at her desk, Sota fallen asleep on the veranda, Kenshin's reassuring presence shadowing her, her room, the dojo… A pang of yearning blossomed in her heart. She missed them dearly but she tried to push the feelings down, and swallowed the lump in her throat.

Getting upset wouldn't help anything.

The rain continued to pound her relentlessly as she trudged on, trying to keep the hazy memories of home out of her mind. However, walking only preoccupies the body, not the mind and didn't serve to take her mind off of the painful reminiscences.

A solitary tear rolled down her cheek and mingled with the rainwater before running off her chin.

Suddenly, someone came up behind her and placed a straw hat on her head, resting their hand on top. The wide-brimmed straw hat shielded her face from the unyielding rain, and the mesh of tightly wound wicker creaked in the wind but nonetheless held.

_Who would…?_

She turned around and peered through the torrents of rainfall.

The same man who had helped her yesterday was standing behind her. Although he seemed mainly dry due a thick haori he wore, his hair lay flat against his dripping face in thin orange tendrils.

"Hey kid. You look wet." He said.

"Yeah, you don't say…" she retorted haughtily, peering from underneath the hats brim.

He merely stood there and folded his arms across his chest, as if waiting for something. He raised one eyebrow.

There was something about this guy that got on her nerves, she quickly deduced as her felt her breathing heighten and her anger inflame. Glaring, she tore the hat off and held it out, almost wincing at the renewed harshness of the rain against her cold skin.

"I don't need your hat." Rukia said.

Abruptly, an itch in her nose suddenly gave way to a sneeze. She blinked in surprise.

"I think you do. You don't want to get sick now, do you?"

The edge of concern under the seemingly condescending comment caught her off guard once again.

He stepped towards her, taking the straw hat easily from her grasp and putting it back on her head.

"Do the straps up or it'll fly off."

Bewildered, Rukia fingered the small lengths of string that hung down from either side. Not wanting to look foolish, she awkwardly attempted to do up the straps, but only succeeded in getting them caught round her ears. She grunted.

"I've never done one of these before..."

He raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"You've got to be kidding me right?" he laughed.

A furious blush began to shine in her cheeks so she turned away, hoping the downpour of rain would cover her embarrassment. Crossing her arms stubbornly, she mumbled "No."

She could almost _hear _him rolling his eyes.

He sighed. "Fine then," he said, "I'll just have to do it."

Kneeling on the ground, he adjusted the hat on her head before reaching underneath for the thin straps.

Rukia's breath hitched as his hands reached for the strings round both sides of her face, heart pounding strangely fast in her chest; She was surprised he couldn't hear its frantic hammering, even through the intense rain.

He pulled the thin strands of string over her chin with gentle hands. Rukia marvelled as his large and calloused hands danced across her skin, ensuring it was on properly, before retreating. A shiver ran down her spine. Whether it was from the cold or not, she wasn't sure.

Standing back to admire his handiwork, he nodded, as if satisfied.

Now, even as the intense rain continued to fall, at least part of Rukia was dry and warm, which she was extremely happy for. Her dull mood began to improve slowly and soon it was all she could do to stop a smile from creeping onto her face.

She bowed to him.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

"Good to hear it, kid. Now we need to catch up with the others."

"It's not 'kid'. I'm only a year or so younger than you!" Rukia replied, pointing a finger at him.

"Well, that is right…" He placed a hand on his chin, "But that doesn't make you any less of one. Besides, whose the one her who is _acting _like a child?" With a grin, he gestured to her.

Looking down, Rukia quickly unfolded her arm, and then withdrew her finger.

She _hated _when she was wrong.

"Fine then. Well, call me by my name then. Not 'kid'."

He raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What _is _your name?"

"Kuchiki Sota."

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. I'm sure you might recognise me from Kenpachi's speech the other day." Puffing out his chest proudly, he smirked down at her. It soon disappeared when he heard what she had to say…

"Yeah. I'd recognise the hair colour anywhere."

The scowl returned… with a vengeance.

"Look _Kuchiki_, we'll be reaching the next town soon where we'll wait out the storm. I suggest you catch everyone up. Oh and keep an eye out for bandits. This area is renowned for 'em." He added, before storming off ahead, leaving Rukia to scurry after him.

-&-

**Author's Note:  
**Hey again, thanks for reading chapter two of Substitute Samurai. So, this chapter showed the appearance of Ichigo! Yes, IchikRuki fanatics, the Ichigo Rukia love is on its way. But I apologize if the story is a little slow. There is so much going on that I need to convey that it's going to take a little while but, NOT TO FEAR! It'll come in its own time. Besides, next chapter everything is beginning to heat up so look forward to it! I know I am :D The update should be soon! Although, college term has started now so it's a lot harder toget time just to sit down and write but, I assure you, I'll keep trying!

Oh and in your reviews, I got a couple of references about the film Mulan. As soon as I read that, I was like... OH YEAH! I just realised it. I only ever watched the film once, and the most I can remember was that there was a little red lizard/dragon... that didnt like being called lizard... Yes, I have a short attention span.

Feel free to ask me questions, give advice or review. It would be extremely helpful if you told me what you thought!

Thanks for reading again, and have a nice week!


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